What are examples of implementation of Directive Principles?
Q. Which of the following examples of implementation of Directive Principles?
1) Planning Commission
2) Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
3) 73rd Amendment Act of 1992
4) Minimum Wages Act- Published on 21 Feb 17a. 1, 2, 4
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3, 4
d. All of the above
ANSWER: All of the above
Since 1950, the governments at the Centre and in the states, have made several laws and formulated various programmes for implementing the Directive Principles.
Some examples of it are -- The Planning Commission was established in 1950 to take up the development of the country in a planned manner. The successive Five Year Plans aimed at securing socio-economic justice and reducing inequalities of income, status and opportunities.
Land reform laws and measures like -
1. abolition of intermediaries like zamindars, jagirdars, inamdars, etc;
2. tenancy reforms like security of tenure, fair rents, etc;
3. imposition of ceilings on land holdings;
4. distribution of surplus land among the landless labourers; and
5. cooperative farming.
- The Minimum Wages Act (1948), the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act (1986), the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act (1976), the Trade Unions Act (1926), etc. have been enacted to protect the interests of the labor sections.
- In 2006, the government banned the child labor.
- The Maternity Benefit Act (1961) and the Equal Remuneration Act (1976) - to protect the interests of women workers.
- Various measures to utilize the financial resources for promoting the common good. These include nationalization of life insurance (1956), the nationalization of fourteen leading commercial banks (1969), nationalization of general insurance (1971) etc.
- The Legal Services Authorities Act (1987) has established a nation-wide network to provide free and competent legal aid to the poor and to organise lok adalats for promoting equal justice.
- Lok adalat is a statutory forum for conciliatory settlement of legal disputes. It has been given the status of a civil court. Its awards are enforceable, binding on the parties and final as no appeal lies before any court against them.
- Khadi and Village Industries Board, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Small-Scale Industries Board, National Small Industries Corporation, Handloom Board, Handicrafts Board etc. have been set up for the development of cottage industries in rural areas.
- The Community Development Programme (1952), Hill Area Development Programme (1960), Drought-Prone Area Programme (1973), Minimum Needs Programme (1974), Integrated Rural Development Programme (1978), Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (1989), MGNREGA (2006), etc., have been launched for raising the standard of living of people.
- The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, have been enacted. The Water and Air Acts have provided for the establishment of the Central and State Pollution Control Boards, which are engaged in the protection and improvement of environment.
- The National Forest Policy (1988) aims at the protection, conservation and development of forests.
- Agriculture has been modernized by providing improved agricultural inputs, etc. Various steps have also been taken to organize animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines.
- Three-tier Panchayati raj system has been introduced by the 73rd Amendment Act (1992).
- Seats are reserved for SCs, STs and other weaker sections in educational institutions, government services and representative bodies.
- The Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955, which was renamed as the Protection of Civil Rights Act in 1976 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, have been enacted.
- The 65th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1990 established the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to protect the interests of SCs and STs.
- The Criminal Procedure Code (1973) separated the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the state.
- The Ancient and Historical Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (1951) has been enacted to protect the monuments, places and objects of national importance.
- Primary health centres and hospitals have been established throughout the country. Also, special programmes have been launched to eradicate widespread diseases.
- Laws to prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves, and bullocks have been enacted in some states.
- Some states have initiated the old age pension schemes.
- India has been following the policy of non-alignment and panchsheel to promote international peace and security.
- In spite of the above steps by the Central and state governments, the Directive Principles have not been implemented fully and effectively due to several reasons like inadequate financial resources, unfavorable socio-economic conditions, population explosion, strained Centre-state relations, etc.
